Americans denied victory by Portugal in final seconds

Chris Lehourites, Associated Press

Updated 11:15 pm, Sunday, June 22, 2014

Photo: Paulo Duarte, Associated Press

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Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, center, runs with the ball between United States' Jermaine Jones, left, and United States' Graham Zusi, right, during the group G World Cup soccer match between the USA and Portugal at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Sunday, June 22, 2014. (AP Photo/Paulo Duarte) less

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, center, runs with the ball between United States' Jermaine Jones, left, and United States' Graham Zusi, right, during the group G World Cup soccer match between the USA and ... more

Photo: Paulo Duarte, Associated Press

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July 13 - Championship game

Germany 1, Argentina 0 (extra time)

July 13 - Championship gameGermany 1, Argentina 0 (extra time)

Photo: Matthias Hangst, Getty Images

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July 12 - 3rd-place game

Netherlands 3, Brazil 0

July 12 - 3rd-place gameNetherlands 3, Brazil 0

Photo: Andre Penner, Associated Press

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July 9

Argentina 0, Netherlands 0 (Argentina wins PK shootout 4-2)

July 9Argentina 0, Netherlands 0 (Argentina wins PK shootout 4-2)

Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI, AFP/Getty Images

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July 8

Germany 7, Brazil 1

July 8Germany 7, Brazil 1

Photo: Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images

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July 5

Netherlands 0, Costa Rica 0 (Netherlands wins PK shootout 4-3)

July 5Netherlands 0, Costa Rica 0 (Netherlands wins PK shootout 4-3)

Photo: Matt Dunham, Associated Press

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July 5

Argentina 1, Belgium 0

July 5Argentina 1, Belgium 0

Photo: MARTIN BUREAU, AFP/Getty Images

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July 4

Brazil 2, Colombia 1

July 4Brazil 2, Colombia 1

Photo: Manu Fernandez, STR

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July 4

Germany 1, France 0

July 4Germany 1, France 0

Photo: David Vincent, Associated Press

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July 1

Belgium 2, US 1 (extra time)

July 1Belgium 2, US 1 (extra time)

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

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July 1Argentina 1, Switzerland 0 (extra time)

July 1
Argentina 1, Switzerland 0 (extra time)

Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP/Getty Images

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June 30

Germany 2, Algeria 1

June 30Germany 2, Algeria 1

Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images

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June 30
France 2, Nigeria 0

June 30
France 2, Nigeria 0

Photo: EVARISTO SA, AFP/Getty Images

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June 29

Costa Rica 1, Greece 1 (Costa Rica wins PK shootout 5-3)

June 29Costa Rica 1, Greece 1 (Costa Rica wins PK shootout 5-3)

Photo: Jeff Gross, Getty Images

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June 29

Netherlands 2, Mexico 1

June 29Netherlands 2, Mexico 1

Photo: Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press

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June 28

Colombia 2, Uruguay 0

June 28Colombia 2, Uruguay 0

Photo: Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press

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June 28

Brazil 1, Chile 1 (Brazil wins PK shootout 3-2)

June 28Brazil 1, Chile 1 (Brazil wins PK shootout 3-2)

Photo: Frank Augstein, Associated Press

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June 26

Belgium 1, South Korea 0

June 26Belgium 1, South Korea 0

Photo: Clive Brunskill, Getty Images

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June 26

Algeria 1, Russia 1

June 26Algeria 1, Russia 1

Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP/Getty Images

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June 26Germany 1, United States 0

June 26
Germany 1, United States 0

Photo: Associated Press

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June 26Portugal 2, Ghana 1

June 26
Portugal 2, Ghana 1

Photo: Martin Mejia, Associated Press

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June 25France 0, Ecuador 0

June 25
France 0, Ecuador 0

Photo: Julian Finney, Getty Images

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June 25Switzerland 3, Honduras 0

June 25
Switzerland 3, Honduras 0

Photo: Felipe Dana, Associated Press

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June 25Bosnia 3, Iran 1

June 25
Bosnia 3, Iran 1

Photo: Martin Mejia, Associated Press

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June 25
Argentina 3, Nigeria 2

June 25
Argentina 3, Nigeria 2

Photo: Jon Super, Associated Press

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June 24

Greece 2, Ivory Coast 1

June 24Greece 2, Ivory Coast 1

Photo: Michael Steele, Getty Images

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June 24

Colombia 4, Japan 1

June 24Colombia 4, Japan 1

Photo: Thanassis Stavrakis, Associated Press

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June 24Uruguay 1, Italy 0

June 24
Uruguay 1, Italy 0

Photo: Ricardo Mazalan, Associated Press

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June 24Costa Rica 0, England 0

June 24
Costa Rica 0, England 0

Photo: BEN STANSALL, AFP/Getty Images

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June 23

Brazil 4, Cameroon 1

June 23Brazil 4, Cameroon 1

Photo: Clive Brunskill, Getty Images

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June 23Mexico 3, Croatia 1

June 23
Mexico 3, Croatia 1

Photo: Robert Cianflone, Getty Images

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June 23Spain 3, Australia 0

June 23
Spain 3, Australia 0

Photo: LUIS ACOSTA, AFP/Getty Images

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June 23Netherlands 2, Chile 0

June 23
Netherlands 2, Chile 0

Photo: Frank Augstein, Associated Press

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June 22United States 2, Portugal 2

June 22
United States 2, Portugal 2

Photo: Christopher Lee, Getty Images

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June 22Algeria 4, South Korea 2

June 22
Algeria 4, South Korea 2

Photo: Jon Super, Associated Press

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June 22Belgium 1, Russia 0

June 22
Belgium 1, Russia 0

Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP/Getty Images

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June 21Nigeria 1, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

June 21
Nigeria 1, Bosnia-Herzegovina 0

Photo: LUIS ACOSTA, AFP/Getty Images

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June 21Ghana 2, Germany 2

June 21
Ghana 2, Germany 2

Photo: Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images

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June 21Argentina 1, Iran 0

June 21
Argentina 1, Iran 0

Photo: PEDRO UGARTE, AFP/Getty Images

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June 20
Ecuador 2, Honduras 1

June 20
Ecuador 2, Honduras 1

Photo: Julian Finney, Getty Images

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June 20
France 5, Switzerland 2

June 20
France 5, Switzerland 2

Photo: FRANCK FIFE, AFP/Getty Images

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June 20
Costa Rica 1, Italy 0

June 20
Costa Rica 1, Italy 0

Photo: JAVIER SORIANO, AFP/Getty Images

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June 19

Japan 0, Greece 0

June 19Japan 0, Greece 0

Photo: Laurence Griffiths, Getty Images

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June 19

Uruguay 2, England 1

June 19Uruguay 2, England 1

Photo: Michael Sohn, Associated Press

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June 19

Colombia 2, Ivory Coast 1

June 19

Colombia 2, Ivory Coast 1

Photo: EITAN ABRAMOVICH, AFP/Getty Images

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June 18

Croatia 4, Cameroon 0

June 18Croatia 4, Cameroon 0

Photo: Dolores Ochoa, Associated Press

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June 18

Chile 2, Spain 0

June 18Chile 2, Spain 0

Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images

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June 18

Netherlands 3, Australia 2

June 18Netherlands 3, Australia 2

Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos, Getty Images

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June 17

Russia, 1, South Korea 1

June 17Russia, 1, South Korea 1

Photo: Ivan Sekretarev, Associated Press

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June 17

Brazil 0, Mexico 0

June 17Brazil 0, Mexico 0

Photo: Themba Hadebe, Associated Press

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June 17Belgium 2, Algeria 1

June 17
Belgium 2, Algeria 1

Photo: Ricardo Mazalan, Associated Press

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June 16U.S. 2, Ghana 1

June 16
U.S. 2, Ghana 1

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

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June 16Iran 0, Nigeria 0

June 16
Iran 0, Nigeria 0

Photo: Jon Super, Associated Press

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June 16Germany 4, Portugal 0

June 16
Germany 4, Portugal 0

Photo: Natacha Pisarenko, Associated Press

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June 15
Argentina 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1

June 15
Argentina 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1

Photo: JUAN MABROMATA, Staff

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June 15
France 3, Honduras 0

June 15
France 3, Honduras 0

Photo: Paul Gilham, Getty Images

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June 15
Switzerland 2, Ecuador 1

June 15
Switzerland 2, Ecuador 1

Photo: Michael Sohn, Associated Press

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June 14
Ivory Coast 2, Japan 1

June 14
Ivory Coast 2, Japan 1

Photo: Julian Finney, Getty Images

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June 14
Italy 2, England 1

June 14
Italy 2, England 1

Photo: Christopher Lee, Getty Images

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June 14

Costa Rica 3, Uruguay 1

June 14Costa Rica 3, Uruguay 1

Photo: Michael Steele, Getty Images

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June 14

Colombia 3, Greece 0

June 14Colombia 3, Greece 0

Photo: Ian Walton, Getty Images

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June 13

Chile 3, Australia 1

June 13Chile 3, Australia 1

Photo: MARTIN BERNETTI, AFP/Getty Images

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June 13

Netherlands 5, Spain 1

June 13Netherlands 5, Spain 1

Photo: Daniel Ochoa De Olza, AP

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June 13

Mexico 1, Cameroon 0

June 13Mexico 1, Cameroon 0

Photo: Petr David Josek, Associated Press

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June 12

Brazil 3, Croatia 1

June 12Brazil 3, Croatia 1

Photo: Christopher Lee, Stringer

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Americans denied victory by Portugal in final seconds

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MANAUS, Brazil — With Cristiano Ronaldo on the field, a one-goal lead is never safe.

The world player of the year rarely sparkled on a hot and humid night in the jungle, but his inch-perfect stoppage-time cross set up Varela for the equalizing goal Sunday in Portugal's 2-2 draw against the United States at the World Cup.

The Real Madrid winger, who has been playing despite a left knee injury, showed flashes of his best, but his impact was minimal until the final seconds of the match. He curled the ball in to a diving Varela, who headed past Tim Howard to give the Portuguese team a slim hope of advancing to the second round and deny the Americans instant advancement.

"He made a great cross," said Howard, Ronaldo's former teammate from their days at Manchester United. "Football's cruel sometimes."

The United States now has four points in Group G, the same as Germany. Both Portugal and Ghana have one point. The Americans will face Germany on Thursday in Recife, while Portugal takes on Ghana at the same time in Brasilia.

"Obviously we're disappointed, but at the end of the day you've got to look at the positives, we got a point," said United States captain Clint Dempsey, who scored to give the Americans a 2-1 lead in the 81st. "It's going down to the last game and hopefully we get the job done."

Nani scored first for Portugal, shooting past a sprawling Howard in the fifth minute. But the Americans responded in the second half as Portugal seemed to wilt in the stifling heat.

Jermaine Jones made it 1-1 with a curling shot in the 64th after a cross from Graham Zusi made its way through the Portugal defense. And Dempsey, playing with a broken nose, then put the Americans ahead, using his stomach to direct the ball into the net from a cross by Zusi.

"Now we have to go out and beat Germany, that's what we have to do," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "We have to play Germany, we have one less day to recover, we played in the Amazon, they played on a place with less travel. We have to do it the tough way."

Dempsey's goal was his fourth at a World Cup and second at this year's tournament. Jones scored his third goal for the United States national team and first in almost two years.

It was all Portugal for much of the first half, with Ronaldo in the starting lineup but getting less involved as the match progressed. The Americans, however, started to get more and more chances and even had a shot from Michael Bradley cleared off the line by Ricardo Costa in the 55th.

"There didn't seem to be any problem with Cristiano Ronaldo," Portugal coach Paulo Bento said. "What happened during the game has something to do with our other players."

The heat in the Amazon rainforest, however, seemed to slow the Portuguese as the match wore on.

In the 39th minute, referee Nestor Pitana of Argentina called for a cooling break, the first such decision to be taken at this World Cup.

At the start of the match, FIFA listed the temperature at 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) with 66 percent humidity. FIFA uses the "Wet Bulb Globe Temperature" to determine when official cooling breaks should be added, and says the WGBT must be above 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) for them to be considered.

The breaks are supposed to occur in the 30th and 75th minutes. There was no break in the second half, but that didn't stop Ronaldo from creating the final goal.

"It was a thriller," Klinsmann said. "Everybody who had a chance to be today in Manaus will talk about this game for a long time."